


love forever, endlessly

by ditsidits



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:07:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22293784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ditsidits/pseuds/ditsidits
Summary: a dying man's wish may be the start of a wayward god's redemption
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23
Collections: Song For You : The Second Album





	love forever, endlessly

**Author's Note:**

> as always, the mods are the greatest for extending my time. thank you for being so patient.

Once upon a time, when the world was ruled by the mighty gods and fair goddesses of Mt. Olympus, a child of both human and gods was born. He was the first among his kind, a demigod. His mother was Aphrodite, the goddess of love and naturally, his beauty was revered; while his father was never mentioned by the goddess herself, his son still bore a huge mark of his humanity. And as if luck would have it, he inherited all that is disliked about the human race. He was flighty, selfish, vain and oftentimes, cruel. But because the goddess had fallen in love with the father of her child and he remained the only reminder of Aphrodite of the only man she’d loved, she kept him and raised him in love and care. And because he was the first of his kind, he was raised in love and affection by the other gods and goddesses and this caused such huge problems because the demigod grew up to be spoiled and errant, often causing problems for everyone. But because he was cherished by everyone, they all thought it would go away with age. But as the demigod grew older, he caused more problems; often more serious than the last. When he broke the heart of a chief nymph’s daughter, causing her to die of a broken heart, the gods threatened to send him away until he learned his lesson. Thinking they wouldn’t go through with the threat, he continued doing as he pleased, breaking at least a dozen rules every day. When at last, even the goddess Aphrodite couldn’t take it, she took it upon herself to send her most precious son away, a place no one have ever gone to before, placing a curse on her own son.

  
a love so rare that’s hard to find  
something so pure, one of a kind  
forever bound, ceaselessly flowing  
strong, sure, ever growing  
you’ll have to seek for you to know  
the home you long for the home you look for  
you’ll find when you finally see  
a love forever, endlessly

  
For years, decades and even centuries, he’s observed all life forms capable of love, and no one has ever lived up to his standards. It’s either one leaves the other for another, one cheats, one loves too much, one loves too less. He’s searched every corner of the universe, every known world, human, non-human forms and no one has ever showed a love so strong and rare. Once he thought he saw it and he followed the couple for years, but one day, without any warning, the woman just leaves her husband, falling out of love so easily. That’s when he learned that things like that happen too. Afterwards, he felt hopeless, almost believing that a love like that really doesn’t and will never exist. But, unknown to the demigod, the goddess Aphrodite has been watching him for years, her love for his wayward son never diminishing. But what can she do? For the gods and goddesses have all promised that no one would aid the wayward demigod, even his own mother. The goddess though has found a way. The agreement only extends to her, but not to Baekhyun’s brothers and sisters. So she called Kyungsoo, the god of love and one of her sons to enlist his help to find her brother an outstanding love. But the god Kyungsoo wanted his brother to learn his lesson well, so instead of showing his brother, he calls him in to grant a dying man’s wish. His mission for his brother is simple, walk with the man down memory lane to relieve his most precious memories. At first, Baekhyun was hesitant, even the gods were too. But Kyungsoo insisted, confident his brother would learn a thing or two about love through this man. But how will we know he’s learnt about love? The gods ask, for they also know Baekhyun as quite the trickster, all of them have fallen victims to the former’s pranks. Kyungsoo smiled at the gods and goddesses, all looking at him doubtfully.

“You’ll find out in time.”  
==========================================================================================  
“He hasn’t got long”, Sehun says, voice quivering. He peers at his father’s pale face and places a comforting hand on his chest. “It’ll be okay, dad. I promise.”

  
Jongin looks at the other, eyes leaving his phone just for a second to look over his twin brother. “Who told you that? He was just talking to us last night.”

  
“The doctor, Jongin, I told you that a million times. You’ve been staring at that phone all day that’s why you weren’t aware of what was happening.”

Jongin scoffs and approaches the hospital bed where their father was lying, eyes studying his father’s frail form. “He’s gotten thinner, too.”

  
Sehun looks at his brother with his best are you kidding me right now face and Jongin just grins at his brother. “Honestly Sehun, you’re probably overreacting a little bit.”

  
“Overreacting?! Dad’s dying, Jongin.”

  
Jongin raises his hand in surrender and goes to back to sprawling on the hospital’s massive couch, eyes scanning his phone. Sehun rolls his eyes at his brother’s action and sits beside his father, holding his hand. “Dad, are you listening?” Then to his brother, “They can hear us right, Jongin?”

  
“Dunno. Probably?”

  
Sehun shrugs and goes to back to holding his father’s hand, this same hand who adopted him and his brother, who cared for them, loved them as their own and protected them. He can feel Jongin approaching them, sitting on the corner of the bed. Unbeknown to the the twins, two pairs of eyes were watching them too. Kyungsoo pointed to the bady lying on the bed and begins to tell his brother everything Baekhyun should know about Junmyeon.

  
“Kim Junmyeon, age 74. Widow. Two adopted kids. His husband died a year ago due to heart complications and sadly, he’s never been the same. Last month he was rushed to the hospital for heart complications too and has been comatose ever since. Take a wild guess what his last wish is.”

  
“I don’t know, a pace-maker?” Baekhyun says, sarcastic.

  
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at his brother’s antics. “You need to take this seriously. The winter solstice is coming and if you’re not in Mt. Olympus by the end of the solstice, you’ll be locked away forever.”

  
“And I care, why? I’ve been kicked out a few millennia ago, god of love. I’ve been standing on my own two feet ever since. I can take care of myself for a few more centuries.”

  
“Fine. Then do it good for this man.” Baekhyun gives him a blank stare but Kyungsoo plows on. “This man might very well be the start of your way to redemption, and you know how much mom misses you, so please, just for once, do good.”

  
Baekhyun just nods and closes his eyes. He can do this. Just accompany the man on his trip down memory lane, which Baekhyun knows will be boring as hell (the man is an accountant for heaven’s sake) and then he’ll be free. He can go back to Mt. Olympus or be his own man. He smiles cheekily at the last word. Man. So foolish and gullible, probably the stupidest race on the universe. He remembers he is half man and scowls.

  
“You ready?” Kyungsoo asks, gesturing for him to listen. “I will tap this man’s forehead and then he’ll see you. Alright?”

  
“Yeah, yeah just get on with it.”

  
“Ready?” Kyungsoo asks his brother again. The last thing Baekhyun sees before he closes his eyes is a huge white light, enveloping him. He hears a scream, then nothing.

  
When Baekhyun opens his eyes, he sees that he’s in in a beach, lounging on a lazy chair. He gets up and looks around and follows the sound of people he hears. When he comes to, he’s amazed at the sight he sees. What lies before him is the exact same busy California street he’s come to love. He couldn’t believe it. Surely, his brother must’ve made a mistake?

  
“I haven’t.” Kyungsoo says. He looks at his brother, a look of surprise on his face. “I brought you here because I know you love this place.”

  
Baekhyun smiles, a little touched at the sentiment. He hears a cough and sees Junmyeon shuffling towards them, his haggard face showing how hard it might be for him to do this. He sees Baekhyun and smiles.

“Where am I?” he asks in raspy voice. “Am I in heaven? Is my husband here?”

  
Baekhyun looks at Kyungsoo and his brother makes a face at him.  
“We are at Memory Bank. A place where the most important and precious moments of your life are stored.” He slowly guides Junmyeon to face the right street, “If you will please look this way, you will see the what we call the Memory Avenue. Here, you can revisit all your life’s greatest memories, at any age, all of your own choosing.”

  
“I can do that?” Junmyeon says, amazed.

  
Kyungsoo nods. “This is what you wish for Junmyeon.”

  
“Well yes, but… I never thought it would be possible.” He says, looking at the both of them with reverence. “Are you perhaps, genies? Or guardian angels?”

  
“We’re not. But part of the reason we granted your wish is also for my brother’s benefit.” He gestures at Baekhyun and Junmyeon bows at him. Left with no other choice and not wanting to be rude to the old man, he bows back and Junmyeon beams at him. “He’ll also be your guide for this trip.”

  
“Oh, then I’ll be in your care.”

  
Baekhyun tries to smile politely but he thinks it probably came out as a forced smile. He looks at Kyungsoo’s disapproving face, sticks his tongue out, then walks towards the start of the avenue. He sees his brother give Junmyeon a box, then Junmyeon bows and starts walking towards him.

  
What happens next still amazes him until this day.

  
Although technically a god, he’s used to people transforming before his eyes but Junmyeon’s transformation will forever be stuck in his mind.

  
As Junmyeon shuffles towards him, Baekhyun is taken aback by the change happening before him. Every step the former takes towards him, he changes. His white, balding hair slowly turns into a thick, black, bouncy hair, the wrinkled face smooths into a refine, porcelain skin, the slightly hunched back straightens and the slow shuffle turns into a glide, arriving beside Baekhyun with flair. He turns toward Baekhyun, smiling and he almost swoons. Damn, this man’s husband is one lucky guy.

  
“I haven’t felt like this for a long time.”

  
“Probably haven’t look like that too”, Baekhyun says casually. He feels a prickling on his finger and sees a little cupid’s arrow sticking inside. He looks up, where he knows Kyungsoo is watching and gives him the finger. Junmyeon looks at the whole exchange with a smile and Baekhyun rolls his eyes. He sees the box Kyungsoo gave to Junmyeon and gestures towards it, as if asking for permission. Not bothering to hear Junmyeon’s assent, he opens the box and a wilted dandelion comes out, prompting the street where they were standing on, forward. Junmyeon almost shouts in surprise.

  
“What the fuck?!” Baekhyun says, annoyed, and the sky lights up with thunder.

  
When the walk-a-lator stops, they see an arrow pointing towards the building and cautiously, they go in. Baekhyun staying back to protect himself. They find more arrows inside and continue to follow it. At last the arrow is finished and they end up inside a movie theater, a seat for two in the middle. Baekhyun gestures Junmyeon to sit first. He waits for Junmyeon to attempt to sit and at the last minute, pulls the chair from under him, causing Junmyeon to plant his butt on the concrete. Baekhyun lets out a snort and feels victorious when Junmyeon glares at him. He’s happiness is short-lived however when he feels an arrow on his back, this time with a warning, ‘behave’.

  
He lets Junmyeon sit before he slumps on his. As the clip rolls, he finds himself yawning already.  
==========================================================================================  
_**7 years old (a wilted dandelion)**_

  
_"a dandelion for junmyeon"_

_junmyeon looks up from his sand castle and sees a hand holding out a weird looking flower to him. he gets up and sees that its yifan, the new kid who's always teasing him._

(Baekhyun almost gags from the scene, really? kids? This is starting out way worse than he expected.)

_"why would you give me that? its ugly."_

_yifan’s shy face morphs into a sneering one, then he steps back and says in a loud voice, "because you're ugly too"_

_the kids around him laugh and junmyeon tries not to cry. he pushes yifan out of the way and runs home._

_after dinner later, when he wouldn't come down because he said he wasn't hungry, his mother goes up to his room and sees him crying._

_"yifan called me ugly and everyone laughed."_

_his mother caressed his face and smiled gently at him. "do you think I’m ugly?"_

_"no, you're the most beautiful of all."_

_"do you think your father is ugly?"_

_"no, he's the most handsome, like a brave knight."_

_"then you don't have to worry, my love." his mom says, tapping his nose. "your dad and I made you and you look like us. so that means...?"_

_junmyeon sniffs and wipes his nose on the back of his hand. "I’m not ugly?"_

_"no you’re not." his mother kisses his nose and junmyeon smiles._

_"now let's get ready for bed."_

_as his mother tucks him in, she asks junmyeon, voice light, conversational. "yifan is the new kid at school, right?"_

_"yeah. everyone likes him because his parents have a huge house and he's really funny." junmyeon says, a little whine in his voice._

_"how about you? do you like him?"_

_at his mother's question, junmyeon finds himself shying away from his mom and instead hides behind his blanket. he feels his cheeks burning. "I don’t like him. he gave me a dandelion and told me I look like it."_

_"you know, you can wish on a dandelion." his mother says, eyes twinkling._

_"not real." junmyeon says, pouting._

_his mother pinches his nose gently. "of course, it is." when she sees that her son is not budging she shakes her head and smiles._

_"give it a try, maybe that's what he wants you to do." his mother switches on his nightlight and kisses his forehead. "goodnight, mein liebling."_

_the next day, junmyeon sees yifan approaching him and junmyeon tries not to run. yifan stops a few inches from him and once again hands him a dandelion. junmyeon accepts it and he sees a pink color rising on the others' cheeks._

(“Oh, gods.”)

_"my mom told me about dandelions," yifan says in a small voice "they said it can grant you wishes and I heard you talking about how you want a wish so your grandma would get better."_

_"thank you." Junmyeon says, eyes transfixed at the dandelion on his hand._

_yifan gives him a small smile and junmyeon thinks that maybe his mother was right._

(*)*(*)*(*)

Baekhyun feels a sigh of relief at the ending. He looks over at Junmyeon and sees him caressing the wilted dandelion tenderly. Weirdo, Baekhyun thinks and starts to get annoyed. Gods, he’d take anything but this cheesy crap. He sees an exit sign, lighting up and races towards it, not bothering to tell Junmyeon. Maybe he’ll stay there forever, just tenderly caressing his wilted flower. Before he can take another step, a manhole appears and he’s powerless to stop gravity from consuming him. Before he can scream, though, he feels himself land on a lounge chair, while he sees Junmyeon carried by a group faeries, all admiring his beauty. They let Junmyeon gently on the lounge and Baekhyun glares at them.

  
“Where did you go? You left me.” He says, tone accusing.

  
Baekhyun scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “You looked like you and that dandelion could use some privacy so I left.”  
He sees Junmyeon blush from his peripheral vision. Before he can say another word, the lights turn off and the next clip starts.  
==========================================================================================  
_**14 years old (a drawing)**_

_"your face looks weird junmyeon"_

_"what?"_

_"I said your face looks weird."_

_junmyeon looks up from his book and sees yifan, his mortal enemy looking at him intently, a pen and a paper in front of him. he scowls at the latter but he just gives junmyeon a grin._

(“Oh shit, I know what this is!”, Baekhyun says, miserable. Junmyeon shushes him, clearly enjoying the show)

_"what do you want, wu?"_

_"nothing much just a homework. draw the ugliest thing you see every day and I thought of you."_

_whatever happened to the both of them, junmyeon doesn't know but after the dandelion thing when they were 7, they became friends. there were times when junmyeon thought that he's found his best friend in yifan._

(“Crap! It’s the enemies to lovers’ shit!” Baekhyun announces, sounding pained. Junmyeon is unbothered, all his attention on the huge screen before them.)

_junmyeon clears his throat, ready to hurl insults back while he sees yifan smirk and sit up straight, when luhan sits beside him and the momentum is gone._

_oh yeah, junmyeon thinks. luhan happened. when the chinese boy transferred to their school in 4th grade, for some reason he stuck to junmyeon and yifan didn't like it. so, he started getting distant and eventually went back to taunting him and calling him names. luhan thinks it’s because yifan likes him but is an immature idiot so he doesn't know how to express that like in a proper way. junmyeon's not sure if that's true._

_"hey yifan, that's a nice drawing of junmyeon"_

_yifan glares at luhan, ears reddening. "it’s for a homework."_

_"oh yeah, for teacher chen? the most beautiful thing you see every day."_

_"what?" junmyeon asks._

_yifan gets up and runs away, while junmyeon stares, confused. he looks at luhan, seemingly unbothered by yifan's exit. "what was that?"_  
_"that? that was an idiot."_

_junmyeon turns back to reading, trying to concentrate and for the rest of the day, he forgets about what happened at recess. when he goes to his locker, however, he sees a paper, tacked outside his locker, a drawing of his face, nicely done, junmyeon thinks and sees teacher chen's note._

_'the most beautiful thing yifan sees everyday :)'_

_junmyeon tries not to blush like crazy on the way home, the drawing inserted inside of the pages of his journal._

_'stupid yifan'_

*(*)*(*)*

“Ugh! Please get me out of here!” Baekhyun shouts pained, while Junmyeon bites back a smile. He pulls the drawing of his face from the box and traces it with his hand. Knowing he won’t be heard in spite of his shouts he does something he never thought he would do. “What happened to Luhan?” He sees Junmyeon look at him in surprise, but then he smiles and winks at Baekhyun. “It’s a long story.” Baekhyun groans and sees the exit sign flashing, trying to hide his shock when Junmyeon makes a run for it. They follow the blinking arrows and arrives at a coffee shop. There, they’re given a laptop, cakes and a cup of coffee each. As the clip starts, Baekhyun wonders how this will end for him.  
==========================================================================================  
_**21 years old (a basketball jersey)**_

_"you're not coming?"_

_luhan asks, surprised. he sees junmyeon look up from his laptop, and give him a tired smile. "you know I can't. these need to be submitted by midnight."_

_"I thought you were done with it?"_

_junmyeon shrugs and takes another mouthful of his coffee. he goes to the kitchen and pours from the coffeemaker, reminding himself they really need to buy coffee. he sees luhan studying him. "you can go, luhan. tell me everything afterwards."_

_"but yifan wants you to come." luhan whines._

_"he knows I can't. besides, it’s not even the championship game."_

_luhan pouts. "but it’s his chance to show off his skills to you. he's hoping maybe you'll finally say yes to him when you see how good he is at basketball."_

_"that's ridiculous."_

_"no its not. that's what he said, word for word. it’s been five years junmyeon." luhan looks at him and seriously asks, "do you really not like him?"_

_junmyeon hesitates and avoids luhan's eyes. he puts his coffee cup down and fixes luhan's hair. he gives him a smile and pushes him out of their shared apartment. "you'll be late."_

_"wait. what do I tell yifan?"_

_"the truth." junmyeon smiles and shuts the door to his housemate's face. he leans on the closed door and shakes his head. if luhan only knew the whole truth._

_later after he's finished everything, he hears a car stop outside the apartment, a sound most pleasant, something he's been used to for four years now. he counts to five and sure enough a notification pops up on his phone._

_'I’m outside'_

_junmyeon fixes his bed hair and tries not to trip on his own two feet. he tries to calm his heart before going outside, biting down his smile. when he opens the door, yifan looks up, still in his basketball uniform and jersey and junmyeon tries not to burst from giddiness._  
(“This is new, a little unrealistic though I mean, your roommate, not knowing who your boyfriend is for four years, ridiculous.” Baekhyun says to Junmyeon.)

_"hey babe."_

_it started in their senior year, the courtship. luhan had said yifan finally grew balls big enough to confess his love to junmyeon instead of pulling his pigtails like an overgrown elementary school kid. junmyeon still can't believe yifan was courting him. even when he said yes to him, a year later, he still doesn't believe it. it was also why it took him a year before saying yes to yifan, despite everythine he did to show his sincerity. now, after four years later, yifan's proven himself and junmyeon'd maybe ready to say yes to whatever yifan asks him._  
(“Luhan was always gone, sometimes for months, maybe that’s why we were able to hide our relationship from him.” Junmyeon says, defensive.)

_"hey yourself." junmyeon says coolly. yifan rolls his eyes and brings him in for a hug. junmyeon melts in the others' embrace and wraps his arms around his boyfriend, burying his face on the latter's chest, closer, trying to imprint the memory of a smell that's distinctly yifan's. he feels yifan kiss the top of his head and junmyeon falls in love a little more._

_"it’s cold." yifan says looking down at him. junmyeon looks up and shakes his head, trying to hide the chattering of his teeth. yifan shakes his head at him and kisses his nose. stepping away from their embrace for a second, he shrugs off his jersey and places it on junmyeon's shoulder. junmyeon smiles gratefully and on tiptoes, kisses yifan's cheek._

_"happy anniversary."_

_yifan smiles, and before he can say anything, junmyeon kisses his lips and says in a whisper, "and yes, i'll move in with you, even if you're not that great at basketball."_  
(“I call bullshit.” Baekhyun says and Junmyeon glares at him.)

_yifan laughs, remembering what he said to luhan. he lifts junmyeon in happiness and spins him around._

_'this is so cliché, junmyeon thinks but discovers he doesn't care._

*(*)*(*)*

Baekhyun sees Junmyeon shrugging on Yifan’s jersey and he feels a tiny bit of warmth, and a lot like, really? after all these years? Junmyeon sees him looking and gives him a smile. He plays with the hem of the jersey and with a glazed look on his face, starts to talk. “Yifan’s always dreamt of playing for his country.”

“So what, an unfulfilled dream, is that what the next clip is about?” Baekhyun says, uncaring.

Junmyeon looks away and Baekhyun sees him swipe at his cheeks. “But when he got himself injured trying to impress the scouts of the National Team, I knew it broke his heart when they said he couldn’t play anymore.”

Baekhyun looks away and discovers he can’t bear to see Junmyeon’s sad face. He’s surprised at himself and annoyed when he feels his chair moving, on its way to where the next clip will be shown.  
==========================================================================================  
_**25 years old ( an engagement ring and a break)**_

(Oh gods, really? Please don’t tell me it is what I think it is.”)

_"what I don’t get is why you have to go to her house when it’s all just a pretend relationship?"_  
(“pr relationships? gods, what a huge bag of dicks”)

_yifan sighs. they’ve been having this argument for weeks now and he's tired. and annoyed._

_"everyone was following us, alright! the press, her fans, my fans, everyone. and it would’ve looked weird if I just left in the middle of everything so I went to her house too. anyway, you knew what we did inside, we were facetiming."_  
(“excuses, smuses, yifan you suck!”)

_yifan's basketball dreams were crushed when he suffered a leg injury he couldn't recover from. but when a window closes, a door opens and when he was 23, he was discovered by a huge entertainment company's manager and was offered to become a model. thinking nothing of it, yifan signed and didn't really consider anything big would come out of it. but his career took off as a model and when he was 24, started work as an actor and found immediate success with his first drama. soon after, he was everywhere and yifan still couldn't believe how lucky he got sometimes. but as his career thrived, his relationship with junmyeon started going downhill, fast._

_it started okay, not good because junmyeon knew that their relationship would be hidden and yifan has to present himself as heterosexual, even if the management knew. it was okay, because he saw how happy and excited his boyfriend became as his career took off. for other people, he was yifan’s personal assistant, his best friend. of course there were others who questioned their closeness but his company deflected those by having yifan be with girls, creating countless fake relationships just to protect his image. it hurt, junmyeon would admit but he accepted it all for yifan. but it’s been years and he's tired. and annoyed. and they both said things and now junmyeon just wants to make it all go away._

_"we need a break."_

_yifan nods. "perfect! I’ll call my manager and we can go to Alaska, maybe see the northern lights, I don’t know but--"_

_"yifan"_

_"yes?"_

_"we need a break from each other.” junmyeon sees yifan’s shoulders drop and he has to look away before he can back out._  
(Baekhyun whips his head at Junmyeon and he sees the latter wince. He shrugs at Baekhyun but he scowls at him, displeased.)

_"why?" yifan whispers, broken._

_"this is not healthy. we're fighting all the time. we're both tired, we're both stressed from this situation, maybe we should take a break." at yifan's silence, junmyeon says, just barely above a whisper, "it could be good for us."_  
(“No, it’s fucking not. Idiots!” Baekhyun throws his bag of popcorn towards the screen.)

_"alright. if that’s what you want, fine. I’ll sleep at luhan's tonight." junmyeon nods, unable to look at yifan. yifan turns to go, but before he does, he places a box on their coffee table and says quietly,_  
_"just so you know, you're it for me."_

_as the door closes, junmyeon turns to look at the table and has to bite back a sob when he sees a ring, nestled in its box._  
(“Booooo!)

*(*)*(*)*

As the curtains close, Baekhyun stands and starts to pace in front of Junmyeon. He’s not saying anything, he stops, looks at Junmyeon with thinly-veiled disgust then goes back to pacing. Junmyeon feels heavy though and seeing Baekhyun look at him like that makes him regret what he did to Yifan, all those years ago. He feels the ring, resting snugly on his fourth finger and he’s comforted, knowing Yifan chose him, even before he did.  
“It did us good, the break.” Junmyeon offers and Baekhyun looks at him, annoyed. “Don’t spoil the story! Ugh, I hate you.” Junmyeon shrugs and lets Baekhyun continue his pacing. They hear a bell chime and an elevator door opens for them. They both get in and Baekhyun is still silent, still contemplating.  
==========================================================================================

_**28 years old (a set of keys)** _

> _'hello, this is wu yifan. recently you've received some news about me and I’m writing this letter to tell you everything is true. yes, I’m bisexual, I have known since I was 14. yes, I am in love with a man and his name is kim junmyeon. and yes, I am married. I know this will come as a shock to everyone but I am done hiding myself and him. and no matter the consequences, I will face them all bravely. thank you.'_

(“Holy fucking shit! That’s the man! That’s a fucking man, right there!”)

_junmyeon takes one last look at their apartment. this is where he and yifan spent almost all their 20s. when yifan asked him to move in with him all those years ago, junmyeon never expected it would lead to all these. hurt, disappontment, rejection, being ostracized._

_he also never thought he would leave this place as a married man. he studies his wedding band, a simple silver, glistening in the light and he smiles. he hears yifan come up and gives him a wave._

_"hey baby, you ready?" yifan asks, all sweaty and gorgeous and junmyeon kisses him._

_"always." he feels yifan place an envelope in his hand, and he fishes a small set of keys. confused, junmyeon looks up at his husband. "I thought you said they will give our keys when we got there? yifan?"_

_"I uh..." he massages his temple and gives junmyeon a smile. "well, I bought us a house."_

_"what?"_

_"you know the one with the view of the town you've always adored?” junmyeon nods. “yeah, I got it."_

_"you did?"_

_"I did." he smiles at junmyeon's reaction and gets a mouthful of hair when junmyeon hugs him with fervor. he laughs and laughs._

(Oh gods, I need to fucking punch something.”)

*(*)*(*)*

“What the hell Junmyeon that was really sweet and oh my gods, the message for his fans? Fucking king!” Baekhyun says, talking a mile a minute. He bounces on his seat and gushes about the house. “Just, whew! I love it!” He smiles at Junmyeon, and Junmyeon smiles back, holding the keys close to his heart.  
==========================================================================================

_**35 years old (the twins’ shoes)** _

_"they're here."_

_luhan perks up from where his seated and immediately opens the door to the smiling couple, each carrying a bundle of blankets. he allows them inside and as soon as they're comfortable, he gingerly lifts one of the blankets and has to stifle a gasp when one of the twins yawn._  
(“That’s Jongin and Sehun right?” Junmyeon nods and feels warm and the thought of his twin babies. “Gods, I can’t believe they used to be small.”)

_"awwwe shit, that's just stinkin' cute."_  
(“Fuck that was cute.”)

_junmyeon looks at luhan reproachfully while yifan can't stop gazing at the sleeping infant in his arms._

_sehun and jongin's arrival at their lives could not have been more perfect and ever since then they could not have been more thankful._

_both are leading happy lives, each thriving at their chosen careers. yifan's showbiz career ended not because he was chased away from the industry, in fact he received an outpour of support and love, but he was tired and he wanted peace, so after finishing his contract he went ahead and studied art, while junmyeon graduated from his masters and is now on his way to a doctorate degree, all while teaching at the nearby public school._

_they settled in a small town, far away from the city. in a simple two-story home, with front and back gardens, a white picket-fence oh, and a dog. can’t forget about their cute little dog, koko._

(“That dog is cute, too.”)

_and for a while, that was enough but then junmyeon felt lonely, like something was missing from their lives and yifan knew they were ready for the ultimate step._  
_it was a hard process. and junmyeon felt giving up a lot of times. but when he sees the cribs at their nursery, all ready and sweet for their coming baby, he knew he would do anything to get this right._  
_and they did and junmyeon couldn’t understand why they were fighting over missing shoes._  
_“I told you to tie them!” junmyeon says to yifan who was crawling all over their house, trying to locate the missing shoes._  
_“jongin doesn’t like his shoes tied up.” yifan reasons, and fights with koko for his socks._  
_at that moment, luhan enters, baby sehun in his arms. “come on, you two, the priest is already at the church.”_  
_junmyeon looks helplessly at his husband and yifan smiles at him, reassuring. “it’ll turn up. I mean, there’s no rule that says babies can’t get baptized without their shoes, right?”_  
_junmyeon rolls his eyes and storms out, a clueless yifan following him._

*(*)*(*)*

“Oh shit, that was sweet. Like, what the hell? Who lives like that? Who gets a life like that? I mean, a husband, enemies to lovers? Yifan gave it all up, the fame, the money, all for you, like whew! Who does that? And that house? That dog? Those babies?” Baekhyun says, breathless, looking at Junmyeon like he’s someone to be revered.  
Junmyeon shrugs. His honestly overwhelmed with his life too. He really lived like that? A husband like Yifan? He takes out his kids’ shoes, all left, from the box and gazes at it tenderly. He feels Baekhyun looking at him and if at first it was mocking, now it’s a sweet gaze, a reverent one, reserved for someone to be looked up to. He bites back a smile as the car arrives at takes them to their final destination. “Sounds ominous.”  
==========================================================================================

_**70 years old (two mugs, two faces)** _

_“what did the doctors say?”_

_“same thing, mild stroke.”_

_“does dad know?”_

_“of course, they don’t keep secrets from each other, you know that.”_

_sehun sighs. jongin does the same and focuses his gaze on the calendar on his right. “it’s the 7th this tuesday.”_

_“their wedding anniversary.”_

_“what’re you getting them?”_  
_“I commissioned someone to paint their wedding pictures, you?”_

_jongin whistles, impressed. “dunno. I’d probably get them a cake or something.”_

_at that moment, sehun’s phone rings and he curses. “what is it?”_

_“the painting won’t be finished by tuesday.”_

_“what now?”_

_“we can get them a mug? with their faces on it? I mean, it’s really popular these days.”_

_“you paint dad, I’ll paint papa?”_

_“done.”_

*(*)*(*)*

Junmyeon smiles at his twins, the both of them grew up really well. He takes out Yifan’s mug, and kisses it. Baekhyun smiles at the scene, his heart full and warm.  
==========================================================================================

They enter a chamber and Baekhyun is shocked at the people in front of him. A panel of gods and goddesses are looking down on him and Junmyeon, all ready to assess the outcome of the trip. While he’s nervous, Baekhyun realizes what he wants more than anything, more than coming back to Mt. Olympus was for Junmyeon to be granted the reincarnation grant. When Baekhyun discovers what his heart truly wants, he feels a huge burden off his shoulders and he smiles at his mother, and while taken aback, Aphrodite smiles back at her son with all the love and care a mother has for her child.

“Kim Junmyeon, please give your assessment of the god Baekhyun during the trip and help us decide whether his ban from Mt. Olympus should be lifted.”

Junmyeon gives him a squeeze and bows at the panel. With confidence, he walks towards the podium.

“The god Baekhyun, at the start of the trip was impolite. He was sarcastic, rude and he made me land on my butt. He laughed at my expense, threw a bag of popcorn at the screen and booed my husband so may times, I lost count.”

The god and goddesses looked at him with disappointment and Baekhyun, more than anything, feels sorry for his mother. He can’t even deny what Junmyeon is saying because all of it was true. And even if he can, he doesn’t want to lie anymore. He realizes he’s ready for whatever the panel decides for him when Junmyeon raises his hand, before continuing.

“But, even if he was like that, the god Baekhyun is honest. He wears his heart on his sleeve and as a result, gets hurt easily. He’s excitable as a kid and when he truly cares for someone, he’ll be angry on your behalf. He doesn’t take himself seriously and always looks on the brighter side of life, appreciating the simple things life has to offer. I believe that instead of the ban being lifted, he should be free to make his own choices, as I know, for sure, his heart will always lead him to the right path.

I’m glad I got to meet him before I died. He’s a dear friend, I am proud of knowing.”

Junmyeon’s speech got thunderous applause, lead by Kyungsoo and the goddess Aphrodite. Junmyeon smiles at him and Baehyun bites back a smile. After the applause has died down, Baekhyun is called to the podium and takes the truth-teller microphone, to assure everyone he can’t lie. But he’s not worried, he knows whatever he says, with or without the truth-teller will be the honest to gods truth.

Baekhyun clears his throat and opens his mouth, letting the truth-teller speak for him.

“As everyone knows, I was chased out of Mt. Olympus because I was an improper god. My mission, as bestowed by my mother, the goddess Aphrodite was to find a love so strong. A love that can withstand the test of time. An endless love. And for decades, centuries and a few millennia, I’ve been searching. I’ve looked at the most honorable gods, the kings and queens of the human race, the highest-ranking officials of the alien race. I’ve looked at wizards, elves, all life-forms who were capable of love but it was futile. No one possessed that kind of all-consuming love. So when I was introduced to this human, who did nothing remarkable in his life, I was baffled and knew for sure I would fail again. At the start, I was sure of my downfall. But as our trip progressed, I saw something between Junmyeon and his husband Yifan I didn’t see in all the others I’ve observed. The commitment to stay with each other. I’ve seen how even the most mundane of things, objects you wouldn’t even think twice of can be held of high importance. I mean, a wilted dandelion? An old basketball jersey? These are things your throw because they add clutter to your life, but to Junmyeon, these things meant a whole lot more. It was the one thing that made them different from all the others I’ve observed. Sure, there was nothing remarkable about the two of them. Compared to all the others I’ve observed, they weren’t anything special. But I now realize what made them remarkable was their love for each other. What made them special is how they let each other feel how special they are. I wasn’t a believer of love. But thank you, Kim Junmyeon, for showing me otherwise.”

Silence.

Baekhyun’s heart was hammering as he made his way back to Junmyeon’s side. He swallows and the next he hears made his heart drop.

“All that was said was well and true, but it’s not an endless love, isn’t it? Yifan, his husband is dead and based on our records here, Junmyeon is will die in just a few days too.”

Junmyeon looks at him in alarm but Baekhyun squeezes his hand. He was actually counting for that to come up. He steps into the podium again and winks at his mother. Aphrodite blows him a kiss.

“Five… four… three… two… one!”

All of a sudden, the walls grow bright, brighter and brighter until everyone has to shield their eyes from the onslaught. Before anyone can speak, a phoenix swoops in and drops a piece of parchment on the floor. The parchment wiggles, before it scrolls itself open and makes itself larger, revealing the written words Baekhyun’s been relying.

> “Congratulations, Kim Junmyeon. You and your husband, Wu Yifan are granted the REINCARNATION CARD for proving that a love like that could exist. This card is non-transferrable and can be used for as long as both parties may like. Note that nothing is guaranteed in the next life but be armed with the knowledge that whatever happens, both parties will end up together, always, in any timeline, universe, shape and form.  
>  Thank you and welcome to your next life.”

Baekhyun clears his throat and with a shit-eating grin, faces the panel and says in his most annoying voice, “and that is a love forever, endlessly, thank you.” He bows and everyone laughs.

Junmyeon can’t believe it. An endless life, with Yifan. He goes to Baekhyun and hugs him. “Thank you, so so, so, much.”

Baekhyun pulls him in closer. “No, thank you.”

“I hope I see you again. In our next life, I mean.” Junmyeon says, smiling.

Baekhyun guffaws, actually laughs out loud. “Oh Junmyeon, you have no idea what your next life has in store for you.”

Junmyeon scoffs and playfully says, “It’s probably nothing I can’t manage.”

“We’ll see about that.”


End file.
